The Lake District is a top-class place for visitors (From The Westmorland Gazette)

The Lake District is a top-class place for visitors

2:01pm Wednesday 23rd May 2012 in News By Rachel Ryan

The Lake District has been nominated as the favourite british holiday destination for 2012.

And hotels and B&Bs in Windermere and Bowness have been successfully been singled out for top standards.

The iconic holiday destination has been nominated in the 2012 Countryfile Magazine Awards and is hoping to beat nine other areas to secure the prestigious title - which it picked up last year.

The destinations were selected by an expert team at Lonely Planet Magazine, and now readers of Countryfile Magazine will make the final decision.

And Lowther Castle and Gardens has also been nominated in the most beautiful garden category complied by gardens illustrated editor Juliet Roberts.

Eric Robson, Chairman of Cumbria Tourism, said: “For the Lake District, Cumbria, as a visitor destination and for Lowther Castle and Gardens as a visitor attraction to be nominated for two such significant awards recognises all that the county has to offer.

“Winning would be a huge boost for Cumbria’s vital tourism industry and would underline once again the beauty and unforgettable experiences the Lake District, Cumbria, offers to visitor and residents alike.”

The announcement comes at the same time as hotels and B&Bs in Windermere and Bowness were named the best in the UK when it comes to getting five star reviews from guests on TripAdvisor.

Figures revealed this week by the Lakes Hospitality Association show that the two Lake District resorts are attracting more five star reviews from guests than any other destination in the UK.

Windermere’s hotels gained a 21.5% share of five-star reviews for B&Bs – the largest in the UK - and 13.7% for its hotels.

In comparision, Less than 1 per cent of London’s 1141 hotels have been given a five star rating.

Jonathan Denby, chairman of the Lakes Hospitality Association, said: “This is clear evidence the Lake District is setting the standard and should give visitors confidence that this is the best place to stay this summer.”